


The Toothpaste War

by Just_amberr



Series: Tom learns How to Relationship [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Angry Tom Riddle, Asexual Tom Riddle, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Lack of Communication, M/M, Orphans, Stubborn Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:27:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29934783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_amberr/pseuds/Just_amberr
Summary: In which Harry and Tom have their first fight.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Series: Tom learns How to Relationship [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185662
Comments: 5
Kudos: 92





	The Toothpaste War

It had been several months since Harry had moved into the flat permanently, and Tom was...struggling. 

At first, he’d loved having Harry around all the time. For the most part, he still loved that. But what he didn’t love were all of the messes Harry seemed to make everywhere he went. It wasn’t really that big of a mess either, just random piles of clothing in the bathroom, or a few dirty dishes in the sink. But as Tom refused to communicate his small annoyances in the moment, they became larger and larger until he finally exploded. 

Harry had been getting ready for work, and Tom went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. 

But the toothpaste was squeezed all sorts of wrong. A mutilated tube that had once been meticulously pushed from one end and folded by Tom. 

Tom just stood there, staring at it for a few moments. This was just too much. 

“Harry!” He yelled, bringing out the tube and holding it up like a battle flag. “You are an absolute mess!”

Harry looked up, completely thrown off guard. “What?”

“Look at this!” Tom growled, brandishing the item around hysterically. “You’ve ruined it!”

“Tom,” Harry said slowly, looking confused. “You need to calm down a little.”

“CALM DOWN?!” Tom lost it. 

Harry, not to be outdone and very stubborn, lost it as well. 

They yelled at each other from across the room, trading insults and biting remarks about how living with the other was impossible. How Tom was constantly type A about things and how Harry never had a plan. How Harry always insisted on more food, but never finished it and made Tom eat the rest of his portion. How Tom always insisted on getting top shelf wine when it tasted exactly the same as the cheaper brand. 

“And now I’m late for work!” Harry yelled, grabbing his keys and vengefully walking out to put on his shoes in the living room. 

Tom’s face paled, visions of all the other people who had left him when he lost his temper flying through his mind. The other orphans, potential parents, the matron and staff members, all walked away whenever he became too ‘difficult’. 

“Fine!” Tom yelled back, following after Harry. “Just leave me then! I don’t need you - I was doing just fine before I met you!”

Harry looked up, startled out of his anger when he saw Tom crying. 

“Tom…” Harry reached for him. 

“Don’t!” Tom brushed angrily at his tears. “Just go if you want to! I don’t want your stupid pity!”

“Don’t be such a prat!” Harry got up and grabbed for Tom, holding him close. 

Tom stood stubbornly still, not holding Harry back, for a whole five seconds. 

Then he held onto Harry like a child holding onto their teddy bear, seeking comfort and security that had never belonged to him growing up. 

“I’m only going to work, love.” Harry murmured, rubbing Tom’s back in circles. “I’ll always come back.”

He pulled away, looking at Tom’s face. “But you’ve got to communicate better, okay? We wouldn’t have had a row in the first place if you’d just told me something was bothering you when it happened.”

Tom nodded, feeling very foolish. “It’s just...people left me when I got upset before.”

“I know, Tom.” Harry kissed him on the cheek. “But I won’t.”

A few days later, Harry left a pile of clothing in the bathroom. 

Tom took a very deep breath, focusing on what Harry had promised him. He wouldn’t leave Tom for communicating things that bothered him. So, he went out to their bedroom and explained that he didn’t like it when clothing was left outside of their clothing bin. 

Harry smirked from the bed. “Very good, Tom. I’ll go take care of that right now.”

He rolled out of bed and passed Tom to pick up the clothing, carrying it over to the bin. 

“Was that…” Tom looked blankly at Harry. “Were you...testing me just now?”

“I like to call it training.” Harry smiled, pecking Tom on the cheek. “How did that feel, communicating and getting what you wanted?”

Tom glared down at Harry. “You... are devious, Harry.”

He turned his back on Harry, going to put on his comfy clothes. “And it felt really good.”

Outtake:

“Well,” Hermione nodded when Harry and Tom had finished telling them about what they had dubbed ‘the toothpaste war’. “I had to teach Ron about toothpaste too.”

“We have our own toothpastes now.” Ron smirked. “I just don’t see why it has to look so bloody perfect.”

“Because it’s the most efficient way to use it, Ronald!” Hermione turned to him, ready to fight.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Reading!


End file.
